Atlanta opening cooling center as dangerously high temperatures continue across Georgia

Most of Georgia will be back under a heat advisory on Tuesday as a dangerous heat wave continues to scorch parts of the United States.

CBS News Atlanta Meteorologist Troy Bridges says the above-average temperatures and humidity are combining to bring the heat index up to possibly the triple digits from most of metro Atlanta and other parts of Georgia.

This hot weather system isn't going away before the Fourth of July holiday, meaning that things won't cool down to normal summer temperatures for this time of the year for a while.

According to the National Weather Service, Tuesday's heat advisory is in place from noon to 8 p.m., with heat index values of up to 107 degrees expected in parts of central, north, and southeast Georgia.

Staying safe during the high temperatures

Experts say people need to stay hydrated when sweltering heat and humidity hit.

Be sure to avoid outdoor exercise in the heat of the day — and find shade, or if you can, access to air conditioning. Some cities offer resources and cooling centers to provide relief.

Cooling off in nearby pools or bodies of water can also help.

Heat domes can make it difficult to fully recover from high temperatures at night, so finding ways to stay cool during the day and evening hours is important. 

Atlanta opening cooling center and splashpads

In an effort to help its residents fight off the heat, the city of Atlanta is opening a cooling Center beginning on Tuesday. 

The center, which is located at Selena S. Butler Park on William Holmes Borders Senior Drive NE, will be open on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. until further notice.

Officials say that the cooling center will not be open on Friday, July 3, due to the holiday.

Atlanta's Department of Parks and Recreation is also opening free splashpads daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The splashpads will not be operational on July 3 or 4. The locations of the splashpads are below.

• Center Hill at 2305 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway NW
• Cook Park at 616 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard NW
• D.H. Stanton at Boyton Avenue SE & Martin Street SE
• Historic Fourth Ward at Rankin Street NE & Garden Park Drive
• Perkerson Park at 770 Deckner Avenue SW
• Rev. James Orange at 1305 Oakland Drive SW

During the summer, the city will have its outdoor pools and indoor pools, all of which are free for residents.

Residents using cooling station to beat the heat

Atlanta resident Bernard Walker said that for more than a decade he has spent the majority of his days outside around the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. He said he has looked forward to the cooling center opening, where he went inside several times throughout the day Tuesday.

Walker said when it comes to people who may live outside or spend most of their time outside, you have to put your pride aside and take advantage of the help offered, regardless of how you may look or what you have on.

"I like to come out and get a peace of mind," he said. "It's good to have some water. It's hot out here. God said come as you are. Come as you need it, and this time right now, you need water. You've got to drink water. If you don't drink water, you'll die. It's been pretty hot out here."

Officials with the mayor's office tell CBS News Atlanta that keeping the city hydrated and cool during the hot months is one of Mayor Andre Dickens' top priorities.

Delwyn Brown works with nearly 200 kids, ages 12 and under, through Camp Best Friends or CBF. He said outdoor activities in the summer heat require a lot of hydration, so having a cooling center in a park where the organization brings the kids to play is critical. Brown also mentioned some kids may have limited access to water outside of camp.

"We as adults need water every day, but these kids, for sure, we need to make sure that they're very much hydrated," Brown said. "Some kids; we don't know what they go through at home. We don't know what they go through outside of here. It's a great thing just to be able to have them somewhere where everybody can go in and get what they need."

If you're looking to hydrate in the heat, you can also visit any of the city of Atlanta fire stations to get cold water. Each station will have a hydration station, seven days a week, between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.